He said: I said to Abu `Abdillah عليه السلام: If something were to happen to the Imam, what should the people do? He said: Where is the saying of Allah عزوجل, “…if a contingent from every division remained behind, they could devote themselves to the study of religion, and admonish the people when they return to them – that thus they [may learn] to guard themselves [against evil]” (9:122). He said: They are excused, so long as they are seeking; and those who wait for them are excused, until their companions [who are devoted to the study of religion] return to them. (al-Kafi, Volume 1, hadith 976)

He said: I asked Abu `Abdillah عليه السلام about the saying of the `amma: The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وآله said: Whoever dies without recognizing his Imam dies the death of jahiliyya. So he said: That is the truth, by Allah. I said: What if the Imam dies and a man in Khurasan does not know who he deputes; does this not excuse him? He said: That does not excuse him – when the Imam dies, the authority of his deputy is upon those who are with him in the city, and the duty of investigation [of who the Imam is] is upon those who are not present but are informed [of the death]. Verily, Allah عزوجل says, “if a contingent from every division remained behind, they could devote themselves to the study of religion, and admonish the people when they return to them – that thus they [may learn] to guard themselves [against evil]” (9:122) I said: What if a community investigates, but some of them (i.e. their emissaries) die before reaching? He said: Verily, Allah عزوجل says, “…and one who dies after having abandoned his home to get near to Allah and His Messenger will receive his reward from Allah” (4:100) I said: What if some of them reach your city but find your door closed and your curtains drawn; you may not call them to yourself and there may not be one to guide them to you – how then will they know? He said: It is in the revealed Book of Allah. I said: How has Allah عزوجل said it? He said: I have seen you discuss this before today. I said: Correct. He said: So recall what Allah revealed about `Ali عليه السلام and what the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وآله said to him about al-Hasan and al-Husayn عليهما السلام, and what Allah has specifically said about `Ali عليه السلام, and what the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وآله said about him in his testament to him, and his advice to him, and their suffering, and al-Hasan and al-Husayn’s acknowledgement of that [suffering], and his testament to al-Hasan and his deliverance of it to al-Husayn. By Allah’s saying, “The Prophet has more authority over the believers than they have over their selves. His wives are their mothers. And the owners of kinship are closer to one another in the Book of Allah …” (33:6). I said: The people talk about Abu Ja`far عليه السلام and they say: How is it that it (i.e. Imamate) has expanded to him from among the sons of his father, when some of them were similar in their closeness to him, and some of them were older than him; and [yet] it (i.e. Imamate) fell short of reaching those younger than him? So he said: A patron of this affair is known by three qualities that do not exist in other than him: He is the closest of the people to the one before him and he is his deputy, and he has the weapons of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وآله and his testament – and those are with me, and there is no debate in that. I said: Is that stowed away, in fear of the sultan? He said: It is not stowed away; rather it is a manifest proof. Verily, my father entrusted me with what is there, so when he met his passing, he said: Call witnesses for me. So I called four from Quraysh, among whom was Nafi`, the slave of `Abdillah b. `Umar.

He (i.e. al-Baqir) said: Write; this is what Ya`qub gave to his sons, “O my son, ‘verily Allah has chosen for you the religion, so do not die except as Muslims’ (2:132)”. And Muhammad b. `Ali deputed his son Ja`far b. Muhammad and ordered him to enshroud him in the gown that he used to pray in for Friday prayers, and to wrap his head with his turban, and to make his grave a square and to raise it by [the width of] four fingers, and leave it there. So he said: He wrapped it (i.e. the will), then he said to the witnesses: Depart, may Allah have mercy on you. So I said after they departed: What was in it, O father, that you asked them to bear witness to? So he said: I would despise it if you were overcome and it is said, “He did not select [a successor]”, so I wanted it to be a proof for you; it is for a man who comes forward into the city and says, “Who did fulan depute”, [so] it is said to him, “fulan”.

I said: What if there were partners in the testament? He said: Ask him, for he will clarify it for you. (al-Kafi, Volume 1, hadith 977)

He said: I said to Abu `Abdillah عليه السلام, “May Allah grant you good health, we have heard your grievances and we have become worried. So is it that you are knowing of us or did you find out about us [through someone]? He said: `Ali عليه السلام was an `alim, and knowledge is inherited. An `alim does not die except that he leaves behind one who possesses his knowledge or whatsoever Allah wills. I said: Will the people be excused if an `alim dies and they do not know his successor? So he said: The people of this city – meaning, Medina – will not be excused; and as for those from other cities, [they will be dealt with] according to their ability. Verily, Allah says, “And the believers should not all go forth together – if a contingent from every division remained behind, they could devote themselves to the study of religion, and admonish the people when they return to them – that thus they [may learn] to guard themselves [against evil]” (9:122) He said: I said: What about one who dies in that [process of searching]? So he said: He is like one who abandons his home to get near to Allah and His Messenger, then is taken by death – so he will receive his reward from Allah. He said: I said: So if they were to come forth, by which thing will they recognize their master? He said: [The Imam] emits tranquility, dignity, and prestige. (al-Kafi, Volume 1, hadith 978)